Water-closet flush.



Patented Got. I6, |900;

J. BWMAN.

WATER CLOSET FLUSH.

(Appncation mea' oct. "r, 1.399.)

-3 sheefsf-shee't l.

(No )Modal-.3

Ik! Il. .IIIIIL me Noms 51ans ce, muro-umm, wAsHmmoN, u. c.

Panama uct. 16., |900.`

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. BOWMAN.

WATER BLSET FLUSH.

(Aplxicaeion mea oet. 7. 1399.)

No. www

(No Model.)

WHQQSSZS No. 660,044. Patented .(lt. IB, |906.

J. BOWMAN.

WATER CLOSET FLUSH.

(Application filed Oct. 7, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

lllniirnn JONATHAN BOVMAN, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

WATEH-"CLOSET FLUSH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,044, dated October16, 1900.

Application filed October 7,1899. Serial No. 732,943. (No model.)

To @ZZ wir/0712, 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, JONATHAN BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Water-Closet Flush, of which the following isa specication.

My present invention relates to a novel siphon flushing apparatus forwater-closets.

The object of my invention in its broadest aspect is to provide anapparatus which may be operated without waste, in which the quantit-y ofwater to be discharged at each ushing can bereadily regulated, and whichwill effectuallyeliminate the objectionable leakage incident to theemployment of movable valves in the discharge leg or branch of thesiphon. Subordinate to this general object are others, which will morefully hereinafter appear as the necessity for their accomplishment isdeveloped in the succeeding description.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a sectional view of a lush-tankprovided with my improved apparatus, the position assumed by the partsduring the operation of flushing being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 isa sectional view through the discharge branch of the siphon, showing theregulator. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the piston. Fig. 4 is a View similarto Fig. l, showing a modified form of pump. Fig. 5 is a view similar toFigs. l and Ll, but illustrating another form of combined siphon andpump. Fig. 6 is a sectional View showing still another and possibly thepreferred form of siphonic pump.

Referring to the numerals ot' reference on the accompanying drawings, inwhich like numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, l indicates a flushingtank provided with an ordinary form ofsupply mechanism 2.

3 indicates a flushing-Siphon comprising a comparatively-long dischargebranch 4., eX- tending upwardly through the bottom of the tank andopening at its upper end into a cylinder 5, constituting the short orsupply branch of the siphon, having a closed upper end provided with acover or cap 6 and open at its lower end, which extends nearly to thebottom of the tank. 7 indicates a piston movable within the cylinder 5and provided with peripheral packing S, one or more inwardlyopening orclack valves 9, and coaxial pistonrod 10, guided by the frame l1 andpassing through the stuffing-box l2 above the cylinder, where it finallyterminates in a bifurcated end 13, in which is revolubly mounted arollernle.

indicates a flushing-lever fulcrumed, as at 16, upon astandard 17,carried by the tank and passing between the bifurcation 13 of thepiston-rod and under the roller 14:. Thus when the ushing-lever isactuated by a pull upon the chain 18 the piston-rod will be rcciprocatedvertically, causing the ascent of the piston within the cylinder, theparts being thereafter restored to their normal positions by acounterweight 19, the hook 20 of which is designed to engage one of aseries of apertures 21 through the lever l5 beyond the roller la. It isobvious that when the piston V'7 is elevated sufficiently within thecylinder to discharge enough water into the long arm of the siphon tocreate siphonic action the water in the tank will continue to flowthrough the branch y-Ll and into the receptacle to be flushed until thelevel of water within the tank falls below the lower end of thecylinder. It is unnecessary, however, in most instances to discharge theentire contents of the tank at each flushing, and I have thereforedevised a simple regulator by means of which the quantity of waterdischarged at each operation may be determined with accuracy, and which,unlike the ordinary float-controlled devices, will not continue thedischarge when the tank has been refilled even though the pull upon thechain 1S be continued. In other words, I regulate the flush andnecessitate a separate actuation of the flushing-lever for each flushingoperation.

l have illustrated several forms of regulators, the essential feature ofall of which is the breaking of the siphonic action by admitting airinto the siphon at predetermined water-levels. The preferred form ofthis regulator, however, comprises a longitudinal slot 22 in the side ofthe branch of the siphon and extending from a point adjacent to thebottom of the tank, preferably to high-water mark. The branch pipe t isprovided coextensive with the slot 22 with a longitudinal concavity 23,closed at the bottom, as indicated at 24, and having an open top 25,which IOO openscommunicaiion between the interior of the tank and theinterior of the siphfon 'by way ot' the slot 22.

It will now be obvious that if provision be made for closing the slotalong the upper portion the siphonic action will be continued until thewater-level has reached the lower limit'of i the closure, at which timeair will be admitted into-the Siphon and the siphonic action will thusbe interrupted. It is precisely lin this manner that. the desired end isattained.

What I will term a regulating-shutter i 26, which is simply alongitudinal shield for i the slot 22, is slidably mounted upon thebranch 4 over the slot and is provided at its upper end with ahandle 27Vby means of which it may be raised or lowered, accordinglyas it isdesired to permit the ingress of air to the interior of the siphon atany desired point. Thus the flush is regulated by the position of theregulating-shutter 26, and as water rises through the valves of thepiston in Athe cylinder to same level as that in the tank the overiiowdoes not depend upon the air-regula'to-r. Of course Water will rise inthe tube to level of that in the tank, just as in the cylinder, and thelongleg of'siphon will form an overflow, whether the flush-regulator beentirely closed or not, whenever the water in the tank rises above thehead of the long leg. A separate overliow maybe provided, if desired.,at any point in the tankbetween head of long leg and high-water mark. Attimes, .it desired, a telltale-overdow may also be attached to theimproved device and be of any well-v known form, the said attachment notbeing shown, because it will be well understood by those skilled in theart how its application could be made and the convenience arising fromits use.

28 indicates a smaller tube extending upwardly from a point near thebottom of the tank and piercing the cylinder immediately i above itslower end. The tube serves the dual purpose of admitting water to theinterior of the cylinder in the event of derangement of valves 9 and isdesigned to break; siphonic action in the event of its being del siredto empty the tank during an inflow `off Water sufficient to prevent 'thelevel from dropping below the cylinder within a reasonable time.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modification which consists insubstituting a vsectional telescopic cylinder 29 for the cylinder 5 andI its piston v7, (illustrated in .the first two iigures of thedrawings,) the action of the pump thus formed being substantiallyidentical with that shown in the lirst two figures .and thereforeappearing to require no further description.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a possible variation of thesiphonic-p-nmp construction. In this instance the long dscharge ortiushing branch of the .siphon is; extended coaXially into a cylinder36, provided with a regulator of the type illustrated in Fig. l andhaving an open top 37 above the water-level in the 4Itan'k. The bottom38 of the cylinder is provided with upwardlyopening valves 39 andconstitutes a pump the elevation ot' which by the actuation of the lever15 will cause the water to be raised and directed through the liushingbranch pipe.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings still another variation and .possibly apreferred construction is shown. The cylinder 40 has its upper endclosed, and the upperinterior end of the tlushingpipe is provided with aXed head or piston 4l, 'fitting snugly wit-hin the cylinder. Tfhepstonis surrounded by suitable packing 42, and openings 43 are formed in theflushing-pipe just under the piston. Valves 44 open into the cylinder atits bottom, and it is provided with a regulator of :a -constructionalready described in connection with Fig. l of the drawings.

Obviously the construction and opera-tion of the regulator are noteffected by its transposition from the fixed discharge branch 4 of thesiphon (shown in Fig. 1) to the movable inlet branch or-cylinder, (shownin Figs. 5 and 6,) the only .essential being Ithat vthe siphonic actionmay be interrupted bythe ad mission of air at any desired water-level.

'The cylinder 40 constitutes a bell, and s pecial utility resides in theprovision cfa closed air-.space between the station-ary piston .and theupper end of the lbell or cylinder. As the cylinder 40 is elevated thecontained water will be discharged through the flushingpipe to createsiphonic action, and as no airinletis provided above the piston thegradual enlargement of thetair-space will create a partial vacuum atthe` upper end ot' the bell. The return of the bell or cylinder to itsnormal position will therefore -be effected without the necessity fortheemployment of a weight, which would be necessary to return the pistonwere it `not for the-suction thus created.

From the foregoing it will be observed that Ihave invented asimple,durable, and highlyefficient flushing apparatus for closets, and whilethe present embodiment of my invention appears to be preferable I do notdesire to limit myself to the details specified, but desire to change,modify, and vary them at 1 will Within the scope of the protectionprayed.

What I claim is- 1. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with atank, of .a cylinder disposed vertically therein having a siphonattachment, one of the latter parts being provided with a longitudinalslot and a longitudinal concavitycoextensive with the Vinside of theslot closed at its bottom and open at its top and constituting aregulating means, .and an adjustable covering device for regulating thesaid lslot and establish adjustable communica-tion between the .same andthe part in which it is located to control the i-ush.

2. In a iiushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a siphonincluding a vertical IOO IIO

sive with the inside of the slot, closed at its bottom and open at itstop and constituting a regulating-slot, and a regulator-shutter adjustably fixed over the slot and designed to determine the Water-levelat which air will be admitted to the interior of the siphon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing my own I have hereto alixed mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JONATHAN BOW MAN.

Witnesses:

N. B. HAMILTON, J. S. MCNEEL, .I r.

